Measuring instrument



Oct. 8, 1940.

w. F. A L-ER MEASURING INSTRUMENT Filed June 3, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 w. F. ALLER IEASURING INSTRUMENT Filed June 5, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3U ingelements move equal Patented Oct. 8, 194a UNITED STATES PA-TENT orrlcs o zeta-we" flwmamsnetnmoaommwm Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a e

Shdlieid Gage corporation of Ohio Application June a, 19:9, Serial no; 2111::

' 13 Claims. (01. 33-147) This invention relates to measuring or gaging apparatus.

One object of the invention is the provision oi aga'ge having a pair 01 cooperating gaging elements both 0! which are adapted for movement on a suport in a gaging operation, the

relative movement of the gaging elements being. effective on an indicating mechanism for ga in or comparing the size of workpieces with a 111811 degree or accuracy. 1

Another object or the invention is the provision of a gage of the character mentioned in which one oi! the gaging elements provides a support or mounting for a part operated by the other gaging element, ina gaging operation, such part being operably connected to the indicating mechanism so that simultaneous equal movement of the gaging elements in the same direction is .without efiect on the indicating mechanism.

Another object oi the invention is the provision of a gage having a work-supporting table on which the work being gaged is supported for contact with gaging elements projecting through the table, both of the gaging elements being mpported tor movement toward and from one another and operably connected to an indicating mechanism by a motion-transmitting device which provides means eliminating operating effeet on the indicating mechanism when the gagamounts in the same Another object of the invention is the provision of a gage having a pair of cooperating gaging elements both otwhich are adapted for 5 movement on a support in a gaging operation and having equal pressure contact with-O p sed portions ofthe work piece so that the size or the work piece may gaged or a high degreeoi accuracy o f-theinvention is the provision 0! a gage or the mentioned in which both gaging elements are supported by pairs of parallel spring blades aiiording n'lnvementor the gaging elements in substantially parallel rectilinear directions.

.. e Other objects and advantages-01' the invention be apparent iron the iollowing description,

theappendedclaimaandthe numesah havebeen min Fig. iisa instrumentor vention: q

perspectiveviewoi a me'unbodyingthepreaentim,

1 ig.2isahipplanviewoithegage;

Fig.3isavertica1sectiononthelinete3oi $11 .4 is a section on the line 4-4 or Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sideelevation oi the gage, omitting modified form, shown partly tion; and

in longitudinal sec- Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view correspondingtoFig.6.

The invention hereof and as illustrated in one of its preierredembodimentsinl igs. 1 to 5 inclusive is shown as applied to a gage for measuring or checking the diameters of workpieces. As will be apparent from Fig. 1, the gage comprises a supporting housing il having awork-supporting table H on which workpiece may, be placed while being gaged or compared with a piece of standard sine. Projecting upwardly through a slot l2 in-the table arecooperating stai s posts is and II, having sssins p ints is and it respectively. thegaging points a are on the outer sides of the posts so that internal diameters of workpieces can he gaged. The relative movement oi the gasinzpostsioperates mechanism supported by 1118 to control the operation 0! a plunger i! or equivalent operating member of a gaging instrument II which is carried by aviixed standard I! projecting from an end ottbe supporting housing II.

The gaginginstrument ll may be or any suitable construction incorporating an indicating or n in a downward is setiorth in then measuring device responsivetothe movements of the: operating-plunger II. It may comprise a movable target opersbly to-the plunger l'l and-adapted to move across thepath ot-a light beam so as tocasta the scale Ii,

secured by clamp blocks 28 to a stationary block 29 carried by a plate 80, which is securely fastened by means of bolts 3| to a horizontally extending wall portion '32 of the supporting hous- 5 ing. In a gaging operation, when the post I! is in its normal position, the spring blades "are straight so that the bar 32 is yieldingly held but is afforded a limited amount of reciprocatory endwise movement.

w The post It is carried by a bar 35 which extends in a generally horizontal direction below the table II, the portion of the bar 36 whichis nearer the gaging instrument being of reduced width and of goose-neck form as shown at 36,

5 the outer end 38 of the bar projecting through the slot 24 below the outer end of the bar 22. The bar 35 is supported for horizontal rectilinear movement in the direction of the bar length by means of a pair of parallel flexible spring blades 20 It, the lower ends of which are securely fastened to the plate 30, while their upper ends are securely fastened-by clamp blocks to the wider portion of the bar 35 so that the latter is yieldingly mounted. When the gaging posts are so contacts are spaced apart the required distance. corresponding for example to" the internal diameter of the standard.

piece used for compariso the spring blades 3! are straight.

30 The relative movement of the gaging posts i3 .and it in 9. using operation is transnltted to the plunger I! by meanssupported on one of the bars of the gaging elements and operated by the other bar and so arranged that simultaneous equal as movement of the gaging elements in the same n produces no movement of the plunger i1. Such a construction provides for equal 8 8mg pressure of the two gaging points on the workpiece; If one of the g ing posts were fixed 40 directly to the support, then some pressure might be applied by the operator on the workpiece tending to move it towards or away from the fixed gaging element and producing an uneven pressure contact of the two gaging elements, or even pro- 6 ducing some deflection of the stationary Basing mmothatanerrorinthereadingonthegaging' instrument would result. However. with both oi the gaging elements adapted for movement on the m The relative movement of the end portions 23 elements, 7 as herein 75 ment substantially about the axis of intersection of the planes of the two blades 42 so that any horizontal movement imparted by the end 38 of bar 35, through a suitable contact point 44 on the lower portion of the block I, will be faithfully and exactly transmitted to a corresponding vertical movement of the plunger II. Only the relative movements of the gaging elements will be transmitted to the plunger i1, while small moveinents of the gaging elements equally in the same direction either towards the right or towards the left as viewed in Fig. 5 will maintain the same relative position of the block 40 with respect to its fulcrum axis. A stationary pin 45, fixed with respect to the housing It peace with a suitable clearance spacing through a hole 46 in the block 40 and limits the swinging movement of the block so as to prevent any undue motion that might excessively strain any parts of the gage. This pinlimaybefixedinacasingllcarrledbythe housing It and enclosing the sides and outer end of the block 40 and its supporting springs. The gaging post I is manually adjustable so that its distance from the gaging post It can bechanged in order to adapt the gage for checking a a wide range of measurements. The post II is provided preferably as an integral part of a saddle 49 which is slidably mounted on the top and side surfaces of the bar 35. Fixed to the saddle 49 by means of screws "is a guide block ll,

underlying the bar 86 and supporting a locking device for securing the saddle to the bar in any position of adjustment. Thesaddle' ll may be moved along the bar by the'operator by turning a hand wheel 52 which is fixed to a shaft 53 journalled in a block 51 whichisfixed to the bar I by screws 51'. Shaft 53 carries a bevel gear II, which meshes with a bevel gear 58 mounted on the end of athreaded shaft 56 which is rotatably supported in the block I! at one end of the screw and is rotatably mounted at its other 0 end by a cylindrical extension 58 in a. projecting portion 59 on bar II. The screw it is engaged by a half nut 60 which is guided against axial movement in the block II so that as the screw is turned, the block II travelsaxially of the screw 5 until the desired setting of the gage post II is obtained. The bar 85 is then tigh against the saddle I. by the locking device which maybe operatedmanually was to secure these parts to one another. This locking device, as

herein shown, comprises a cam 01: eccentric member I on a shaftll" which is operated by a handle 63. Theshaft projects freely'throughan opening 62 inthehousingsoastobereadilyaccessible. Teshaftil'isrotatably supportedin u theblockllbelowastudflwhichis slidably' the eccentric ti. presure stud, somewhat larger than thediameter ofthe screw it, which projects through the stud, thus permitting vertical movements of the To provide for rapid movement of the gage 'post 05 ll along the length of the slot I! in the housing, the half nut may be disengaged from the screw 5! by pulling outwardly on a knob which is fixed to ashaft fl towhichthehalfnutllis secured against relative axial-movement along 7 the shaft. The knob '8' projects through and is movable along the opening 2. A spring 68 normally holds the half nut against the screw, but the tension of the spring is overcome when the knob B is pulled outwardly. A notched por- 1s Thereisapassagetlinthe half nut to be held in its retracted position by merely knob through a small angle, so that the half nutmay be held tree from the screw while the operator adjusts the position or post ll merely by pushing it or pulling it along the slot l2 untilthe approximate desired location of the post is obtained. He then releases theknob it and makes a further and closer adjustment of the saddle by turning the handle IL In this way the gage be so set that a predetermined or a zero reading is produced on the gage when a standard piece oi desired size is applied to the gaging contacts, and with such an adjustment the spring blades 2, VII and 42 are in a normal straight attitude. The operator then locks the saddle in its adjusted position on the bar 3| by turning the lever 83. If a further and precise ad- Justment of the indicator to a zero indication is required that adjustment "may be made on the instrument itself by the'usual fine adjustment 1 device, as by rotating the sleeve ll in which the plunger 'II operates. The standard piece is then removed and the workpieces to be tested are successively applied to the table so that the reading on the instrument may be used as an indication as to the size relationship 01' the parts checked with respect to the required size. The downward pressure exerted by the plunger II on block 40 when the gaging posts are not in contact with a workpiece serves to yieldingly hold the gaging posts spaced slightly further apart than the desired spacing that obtains when a workpiece of downwardly from the lower side oi the table and attached thereto by screws II. are guided in bearings arranged inthe block II and in bearing portions II. Between the upper and lower bearing portions or the posts the latter are provided with rack teeth II as shown in Fig. i

3, meshing with pinions 'Il which are fixed to a longitudinal extending shalt ll joumalled in the opposite end walls of the supporting housing.

One end of the shaft 'llproiects from the housing and is provided 'witha crank or handle 18' which 55' may be rotated by the operator to raise or lower the table. The contror eens for the table is preferably such that the table is held against downwardmovementinayieldingmannerbymeans of a friction'brake so thatthe operator can cause the descent of the table by pressing downwardly on the table during a casing Operation and without touching the handle It..- For this purpose the shaft 18 is provided with a brake drum .0 engaged by a friction brake band ll the ends or which are supported on a holder 82 horizontally guided iormovement towards and away from the shaft I8 by meansvoi a'bii'urcated portion 83. Threaded in the holder 8! is'a screw 84, fixed to a control knob 8! which may be turned by the operator to adjustthe tension of the spring 86' which applies to an adjustable pressure to, the brakeband. Thebraking action of the brakeband may be overcome .it the operator turns the handle it to cause the table to rise.

The post ll passes through a hole 88 in the bar nandisoisomewhatsmallersissthanthehole flsothathorisontalmovunentsoi'thebarl! may-take placeto a'limitedsxtentwithout'engaging thepost. 'lhepost, excessive movements at the bar well as might strainanyportionottheapplrltmorcausean undue deflection in thejpring blades I. The.

goose-necked portion 2i 0! the bar ii is such as gaging points Hand 29. The gaging point 9i is carried by a bar-or block 93, which is mounted on the supporting housing ll of thergage by means of a pair 0! parallel flexible spring blades 95 and 96' providing substantially rectilinear movement oi the bar 93. The gaging contact point 92 is carried by an adjustable block or lever 91' which is carried by the bar 93, being connected to it by means of flexible spring blades 90 each of which is securely fastened at one end to the block 91 and at its other end to an attaching portion on the bar 93, the construction being such that the block'9'l is' lulcrumed for movement about an axis which is located substantially at the line of intersection of the planes of blades 98, and eliminating all lost motion in the connection. On the block Thisarbor 91 is a stud Hill which transmits the relative movement of the gaging elements to a plunger llli which is axially movable in the supporting housing 84. Axial movements of the plunger Ill operate a swinging lever arm" ill having a target IOS which projects into' the path of light rays coming from light source I04 so that the shadow of the target is apparent on the scale The contact suriaceilifoi the plunger Ill net, the spring blades 85 permitting both of; 1

them to move together in the same direction. However when a relative movement of the gaging points takes place the block 81 is rotationally moved with respect to the bar 93 and thus L the relative movement of the gaging elements is transmitted to the plunger llli oi the g Since both or the gaging elements are movable with respect to the arbor on which the work ,is carried, both or them will exert a predetermined normal pressure on the opposite portions or the workpiece and even if the-workpiece is not held by the operator to have a full-line contact with the upper side of the workcarrying arbor an accurate measurement oi the diameter of the, passage being checked willbe obtained. Any special means for holding the workpiece so that one side of the workpiece is yieldingly held against the arbor is unneces- While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferred embodiments or the invention, it is to be the invention isnotlimitedtothesepreciseiormsoiappara-- gaging elements adapted for simultaneous engagement with a workpiece, a support on which both or said elements are movably carried for gaging contact with the same workpiece, indicating means carried by said support, and a motion transmitting device operably interconnected to said indicating means for moving said indicating means in accordance with the relative movement of said gaging elements, said motion transmitting device having a portion thereof operated by one or said gaging elements and supported for movement on the other oi said gaging elements and bodily movable with said other gaging element, said portion having means engageable with the indicating means and movable to operate the indicating means when said portion is moved relatively to said other gaging element and eliminating operating effect on said indicating means by equal movement 01 the gaging elements in the same direction.

2. A gaging instrument comprising a pair of gaging elements adapted for simultaneous engagement with a workpiece, a support on which both 01' said'eler'nents are movably carried for gaging contact with the same workpiece, indicating means carried by said support, and a motion transmitting device operably interconnected to both of said elements. and to said indicating means for moving said indicating means in accordance with the relative movement of said gaging elements and comprising a part operated by one of said 8 8 elements andsupported for movement on the other of said gaging elements and having an operating portion movable with said other ga ing element without effect on said indicating means when the gaging elements .are moved equally in thesame direction and engaging the indicatingmeans to be moved by said one gaging element transversely oi the direction of movement of the other gaging element to move the indicating means.

3. A gaging instrument comprising a pair of gaging elements adaptedior simultaneous engagement with a workpiece, a support on which both of said elements are movably carried for gaging contact with the same workpiece, indicating means carried by said support and having an axially movable motion transmitting memberoperable in a direction transverse oi the direction oi. movement of the 8 8 11! elements, and a motion transmitting device operably interconnected to both of said elements and to said indicating means for moving said indicating means in accordance with the relative movement of said gaging elements and comprising a part operated by one 01' said gaging elements and supported'for movement on the other of said swlnselements and having an operating end engaging said member and movable in a direction transversely of the direction of gaging movement oi the gaging elements to operate the indicating means and maintaining a constant eflect on the indicating means when said part is moved by the gaging element which supports it.

4.Ag 8 n8instrumentcomprisingflrstand second g tin elements adapted ior simultane-' ous engagement with a workpiece, a support,-

parallel blades mounting the first element ior rectilinear movement on said support, means mounting the second element for yielding movement whereby both of said elements are movably carried for gaging contact with the same workpiece, indicating means carried by said support, and a motion transmitting device operably' interconnected to said indicating. means for moving said indicating means in accordance with therelative movement of said gagin elements, said motion transmitting device having a connection to the second gaging element for movement thereby and having a support for movement on the first gaging element and movable therewith without effect on the indicating means when the aging elements are moved equally in the same ing the other 01' said elements for gaging contact with an opposite side of a workpiece contacted by said first-named element, indicating means car- A ried by said support, and a motion transmitting device operably interconnected to said indicating means for moving said indicating means in accordance with the relative movement of said gasing elements, said motion transmitting device having a portion thereof engaging the indicating means and operated by one of said gaging elements and supported for pivotal movement on the other of said gagin elements so as to be bodily movable with said other gaging element without eiiect on the indicating means when the gaging elements are moved equally in the same direction.

6. A gaging instrument comprising a support, indicating means carried by said support and including an axially movable member'and an indicator actuated thereby, an arm having an end engaging said member, a pair 01' spring blades extending substantially at right angles to one another and each fixed at one end thereof to said arm, a bar having a fixed connection to the other ends oi said blades, said bar and blades supporting said arm for movement about an axis fixed with respect to said bar, a pair oi parallel spring blades fixed at one end thereof to said bar and yieldingly mounting said bar on said support for substantially rectilinear movement in a direction transverse of said axially movable member, a gaging element on said bar, and a cooperating gaging element operating said arm.

7. A 8 8mg instrument comprising a pair of gaging posts adapted for simultaneous engagement with a workpiece, a carrying bar for each 01' saidposts, a support, means on said support for yieldingly mounting one of said bars for rectilinear movement. means on said support for yieldingly mounting the other of said bars for rectilinear movement parallel to the movement of the first bar, indicating means on said support, and transmitting means carried bodily by one 0! said bars and having an operable connection to the other bar for moving the indicating means in accordance with relative movement of said bars, said indicating meanshavlng an operating member engaging the transmitting means and movable transversely oi the direction in which the transmitting means is bodily movable with one bar.

8. A gaging instrument comprising a pair of gaging posts adapted for simultaneous engagement with a workpiece, a carrying bar for each of said posts, a support on which said bars are -movab1y carried for gaging contact of the posts with the same workpiece, indicatingmeans carried by said support and including anoperating plunger, and a motion transmitting lever operably interconnected to said plunger for moving said .plunger in accordance with the relative movement of said gaging posts, said motionv transmitting lever having a portion thereof operated by one of said bars in a direction transverse of the plunger axis and a spring fulcrum support on the other of said bars. 7

9. A gaging instrument comprising a pair of gaging posts adapted for simultaneous engagement with a workpiece, a carrying bar for each of said posts, a support, a pair of parallel spring blades attached to said support and to one of said bars, a pair of parallel spring blades attached tosaid support and to the other of'said bars and yieldingly supporting said bars for parallel reciprocatory movement in substantially horizontal directions, indicating means carried by I said support, a motion-transmitting device operably interconnected to both .of said bars and to said indicating means for moving said indicating means in accordance with the relative movement of said posts and comprising a part operated by one of said bars and supported for movement about an axis onthe other of said bars, and a substantially horizontal work-carrying table on said support through which said posts project;

10. A gaging instrument comprising a pair of gaging posts adapted for simultaneous engagement with a workpiece, a carrying bar for each post, a support, means yieldingly mounting both carrying bars for parallel reciprocatory movement on said support, indicating means carried by said support, a motion transmitting lever having an arm in abutment with one of said bars and another arm in abutting contact with said indicating means and pivotally connected to the other bar for moving said indicating means only in accordance with relative movement of said gaging posts, and a table having a substantially horizontal upper work-supporting surface through which said posts project. i

11. A gaging instrument comprising first and second gaging elements adaptedfor simultaneous engagement with a workpiece, a support, parallel spring blades mounting the first element for yielding rectilinear movement on said support,

parallel spring blades mounting the second element for yielding rectilinear movement on said support whereby both of said elements are movably carried for gaging contact with the same workpiece, indicating means carried by said support andincluding a plunger operable in a direction transverse of the direction of reciprocatory movement of said gaging elements, and a motion-transmitting lever having a portion engaging said plunger for moving said indicating means in accordance with the relative movement of said gaging elements, said lever having a ful- 12. A gaging instrument comprising a pairof gaging posts adapted for simultaneous engagement with a workpiece, a support, a carrying bar slidably supporting one of said gaging posts, a pair of parallel spring blades for yieldingly mounting said bar on said support for rectilinear crum on one of said gaging elements and, a, portion operably engaging the other gaging element.

movement of its gaging post towards and away from the other post, a screw carried by said bar, means carried by said bar for operating said screw, means in threaded engagement with said screw for moving the gaging post along the bar,

means operable to lock the gaging post to the bar, and indicating means carried by said support and operably interconnected to said bar.

- 13. A gaging instrument comprising a support,

indicating means carried by said support and intially rectilinear movement in a direction transverse of said axially movable member, a gaging element onsaid bar, a, second gaging element, a second bar, spring blades supporting said second gaging element for yielding movement from. a

. mounting said bar on said support for substannormal position, an operating connection from said second gaging element to said arm, a, worksupporting table on said support through which said gaging elements extend, and means for adjusting said table on said support in a direction 90 from the relative gaging movement of said gaging elements.

' WILLIS FAY ALLER. 

